Well, a picture and model number would help.
I know that an auto body shop will paint appliances and I also know that there are sites and forums that specialize in antique appliances.
Good luck!
Linda C

Model # RS1271- Sorry did not think of that

Hi Jules! Is that rust on the rubber around door, most of that would come off with Brillo or SOS pad & rubbing. I've repainted a couple of old fridges for friends & came out well. Rust-oleum has a good appliance paint & primer it 1st with primer it recommends. Best to do it in garage or covered patio where no wind. If chrome can't be removed cover with masking tape. Now if you are planning to use it to store extra food you might take a real good look at the number of "watts" as most old fridges & freezers really soak up the electricity. For example my old 1966 freezer died on me 3 yrs ago. I wanted to have it fixed but deceided on new 1 as Sears had sale on energy efficient 1. I was worried as I figured my electric bill would change, but what way. Well, my bill was cut in 1/2, I figured they hadn't actually come out, just "guessed" at it, not the case, it cut my bill exactly in half!! Wow!! I love the savings!! The "watts" should be listed on the plate usually on bottom front or maybe on back of this 1 as old. If it's 500 watts that's 1 kilowatt every 2 hrs or 12 kilowatts a day x 30 days= 360 kilowatts a hefty increase in the monthly bill. It's like 1000 watt stereo or some of huge new TV's are over 1000 watts, I got a new HDMI energy star 19 in. 1 for kitchen that is just 44 watts. So if in market for any new appliance try to find out if energy star or your bills could skyrocket! GF worked at power co. taking complaints. People started calling her like crazy at 1 point. She'd listen a bit & then say sweetly "Did you happen to buy some halogon lamps" of course they had as they were cheap to buy but not run!! That's why they all ended up at TS's. OK, if you find it would cost a fortune to run might call electric co. & see if they would pay you to come & get it.

Hi sunnyca,
Thank you for your informative reply. We actually got the fridge painted today and it looks awesome. We did use the Rust Oleum appliance spray paint. That is rust on the rubber around the door and we scrubbed it with bleach and water and got some of it off. We weren't all that concerned about every little detail since it will be used in the garage. It does look shiny new after getting a new coat of paint today. I checked out the tag as you described and the only thing I could find was a metal tab that indicated 115 V. It did not indicate wattage.
Do you know how to calculate that into wattage accurately? You seem to be very savvy about these things. Thank you for your help-

I forgot to mention I used" wet & dry" sandpaper on the fridge to sand it(like you would do for a car) Jules, they used to say wattage but it might be rusted or worn away. Now they like to use hz I think it is which doesn't tell you a thing, that is why you need to go with blue Energy star marking they often tell you how much it cost to run something for a year. Remember when we had the big electrical shortage & everything was marked, well, we are heading for big trouble with all these new TV's, converter boxes on 24 hrs a day, etc.I can't remember how many million kilowatts extra a month they think it will be & last yr. we had 1 -4 day outage. They have been warning of brownouts, it may be a long hot summer!! So keep some ice packs in the newly painted fridge along with lots of cold drinks Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to freeze a couple of the gal jugs of water after taking 1/2 cup out to allow for expansion Would help keep things cold if blackout & you could drink it when it melted. Jan

For the record, I completed training in HVAC & Refrigeration at Del Mar Technical School in Corpus Christi, Texas in December 1982 and immediately followed that with a course in Advanced Refrigeration, which I completed in May of 1983. Since that time I have worked on hundreds of refrigerators such as yours and not once have I ever found a Wattage rating listed on the MFG data plate.

After the energy crisis in 1972 it became commonplace for manufacturers to attach paper labels listing the watt rating to the outside of the cabinet, but generally all those labels are discarded during initial installation & setup.

First let us answer your original question, what is the approximate age of your Philco Refrigerator?

Normally we would check the Mfg's model number in the parts reference books however Philco has been out of business for over 20yrs and they are no longer listed.

If you turn the refrigerator around and examine the back you will see the compressor and condensing coil in a compartment at the bottom of the cabinet. The compressor will look like a large steel can with two copper lines welded on it, and a small box on the side where the power cord connects to the compressor.

The overhead clearance from the top of the compressor to the cabinet will probably be very close, which could present a bit of a hurdle here, but on the top of the compressor can there is a metal Data plate that has embossed lettering which gives the compressor model number, the serial number, the voltage rating, amperage rating and the compressor production date. The date may be followed by one, two or three dots. (The dots indicate whether the compressor was manufactured on the first, second or third shift of that production date.) You may need to use a small mirror to read the tag. (A small ladies makeup mirror works great, in fact, I have a small 2" x 4" makeup mirror made by Revlon in my toolbox just for this purpose). When using the mirror, if you will shine a flashlight on the mirror it will reflect the light exactly where your looking and you can read the data in the mirror.

If you can't get the info in that manner you may be able to lay a piece of paper over the data plate and rub the paper with a soft lead pencil. The embossed letters on the data plate will leave a perfect impression on the paper.

Allowing the pipeline time required to get the compressor from the point of manufacture to the refrigerator production line we generally assume the refrigerator to be manufactured approximately 4 to 6 months later.

Now in regards to the operational cost of that refrigerator.

Sunnyca posted what appears to be a very informative explanation, too bad none of the facts are correct.

While the actual wattage is not listed on the fridge it is very easy to figure out if one happens to know the formula for computing watts.

The formula is"

P= E x I
Where:
P= power (Expressed in watts)
E= Electromotive Force (Expressed in Volts)
I= Inductive Force (Expressed in Amps)

On the data plate where you found the voltage you should also find an amperage rating. To determine the watts you simply multiply the volts x the amps.

Sunnyca's claim that replacing a refrigerator cut the electric bill in half is simply ridiculous. I don't mean to imply that their electric bill wasn't cut in half during the period when the changed the refrigerator, but you can be sure there were other factors that effected the electric bill.

First off, that Philco refrigerator does not appear to be a frost free model therefore the only electrical components are the compressor, a 20watt light bulb in the food compartment and possibly a small condenser fan in the machinery compartment, but that is doubtful.

Typically refrigerators of that vintage had 1/4Hp compressors, while some had 1/3HP compressors.

One Horsepower of mechanical energy equals 746watts of electrical energy therefore the compressor consumes 186 to 248 watts when the compressor is running and zero watts when the compressor is off, unless of course you open the door and the 20watt light bulb comes on for the duration of the time you have the door open.

It must also be noted that on the old convection type refrigerators such as your the compressors generally operated on a 50% duty cycle, which means the the compressor, which is controlled by the thermostat, operated approximately 50% of the time or a total combined run time of 30 minutes per hour.

Now let us put this in perspective. Assuming your refrigerator to have a 1/3HP compressor it will consume 746watts / 3 = 248watts while running and it runs 30 minutes per hour for an average of 124watts per hour. At this rate it will consume one Kilowatt in 8hrs, or 3KW per day. 3KW per day times 30 days equals 90KW per month and in my area we pay $.10 per KW therefore the operational cost would be about $9 a month.

You purchase energy from the electrical utility company in "Kilowatt hours" which means you used 1000watts for a period of one hour.

By comparison, Frost Free refrigerators the compressors operate on a 75% duty cycle or 45minutes per hour however with the advent of Energy Star most manufacturers have now improved the cabinet insulation and they are now back to 50% duty cycle.

By comparison, a Frost Free refrigerator has the same size of compressor and light bulb, but in addition, it has an evaporator fan in the freezer compartment, a condenser fan in the machinery compartment, a defrost timer, a defrost heating element and about 2 or 3 mullion heaters in the inside the cabinet wall. The mullion heaters keep the cabinet wall warm where the door gasket meets the cabinet. If they didn't have the mullion heaters condensate moisture would collect on the gasket and freeze the gasket to the cabinet. This would then stick the gasket to the cabinet wall and when the door is opened it could cause the thin vinyl folds of the gasket to tear.

On the old style refrigerators they used a heavy vinyl material to make the gaskets so the gasket could withstand the sticking, although many consumers complained about the doors sticking so they started installing the mullion heaters.

Ref:

The formula is"

P= E x I
Where:
P= power (Expressed in watts)
E= Electromotive Force (Expressed in Volts)
I= Inductive Force (Expressed in Amps)

These formulas are correct for loads with 100% power factor such as resistors and incandescent lamps. However, the formula for power must include power factor when the load is 'inductive' or 'capacitive', e.g., the current is out of phase with the voltage.

The formula for power becomes:

P = E x I x Pf where Pf is the power factor.

The power factor is unity when the phase shift is zero; the power factor is zero when the current is 90 deg out of phase with the voltage.

I think that Philco made a Radio that was specifically designed to sit on top of this refrigerator. I found one picture at

www.jitterbuzz.com/indrad.html

Maybe it's for a refrigerator a bit earlier than yours, but it looks really neat -- the base of the radio is curved to fit the top of the Fridge!

Thank you Mr. Johnson that was interesting to see all of the old radios and such. I also have an old Philco radio with pullout phonograph that I bought at a yard sale last Summer for $25. Nearly perfect shape- the phonograph just needs a needle but it works. The lady that sold it to me said it belonged to her Father and she "just couldn't keep everything". I don't know how she could part with it - it is a lovely piece of furniture. She had an old Schwinn bicycle in excellent condition but she wouldn't sell that to me although I tried talking her out of it. I don't remember these old items as I am only 49 years old but I bet if my Dad were still around he would get a kick out of this stuff I am collecting. Our Philco fridge is working great keeping our drinks cold and as a back up fridge for party items and such. We got it all painted and people go crazy over it. Total cost $10 since the fridge was free and all we paid for was a couple of cans of appliance paint and maybe a few brain cells while painting it. Thanks again for your informational response to my post.

Hi Jules,
I just got one of these. I'm going to spray paint it also. Did you take off the lettering? I'm alittle afraid of popping them off and not getting them back on. Would love to see picks of it painted.

Be happy to post some more pics of it in its painted condition - would you post some pics of yours? Make sure to use appliance paint and do it in a well ventilated area-I bought it at Lowes and oh - we wore face masks and still had spray on our nostrils and nose hairs. We did it in the garage with the door open-it was horrendous but worth it. We love it- I will get some pics later today and get them on-Julez

I laughed at "lazypup' response to my saying my bill was cut in half. Well, it's used to be 800-850 kilowatts for 2 months for yrs. I changed freezers & nothing else until about Feb. of 2009. my bill was 450-475 kilowatts since the new 19 in.LDHD digital is 44 watts & old 1 was 78 watts. It went down to 425 kilowatts. I tend to like old, I like antiques!! I don't have a 1000 watts stereo, it's 25 watt & unplugged when not in use. I have 2 clock radios plugged in,1- 650 watt microwave,I have natural gas HW heater, heat oven & stove, use all spiral light bulbs. When you are widowed at 43 you learn to conserve quickly!The computer is on a surge protector which gets shut off when I'm finished with it.That means printer, monitor,hard drive!! I'm in 1 room can't see any reason to have lights on all over the house. 3 rooms are closed off to conserve heat. Allergic to AC so I use ice & lots of ice in ice tea to stay cool. I've got it good. I taught BCC course by mail. Lot of people around the world would give all they have to have a warm bed & 3 meals a day. I also recycle!!Not my soda cans but ones left in front of my house or neighbor's as kids walk home from school,at store sometimes there are 3-4 soda cans laying there. I pick them up & recycle. I also clean up our entire block's street from time to time. Some of neighbor's help or do it ocassionally. I see no need to let my neighborhood get run down just because we rarely see a street sweeper, I think about 6 mos ago 1 came by. You can always improve things around you if you notice your surroundings & that includes conserving our resources. We're all in this together!

Lazypup and I don't always agree when it comes to opinions but, the information he gave here is almost text book info.

Sunnyca....if you had a GE (Hotpoint) frost free, I can agree, you probably did cut your usage drastically. Those things were energy hogs and ran almost constantly.

Jules...Those refrigerators are workhorses and the fact they are still around and still work are a testimonial to simplicity!! As folks wanted more automation, those things Lazypup mentions were added and repair became more complex and expensive and, newer ones became more expensive to operate.

The most common problem you might encounter with that old Philco is the gasket. There are universal replacement gaskets still available. The one problem I have seen with those models is when folks defrost them, they use an ice pick and puncture the evaporator coil in the freezer and all the refrigerant (R12) leaks out. When you defrost it, use a blow dryer to speed things up but don't stab at the frost with anything, let it melt!!! Just make sure the condenser coil in back stays clean and there is enough clearance around it for air flow. Don't lay a thick blanket or anything over it either (like a moving quilt), you'll find it will get wet and cause the unit to start rusting again. That's because you change what's referred to as the dew point, which is why the insulation in the refrigerator is only as thick as it is..

I have a Philco, only had it for a few months. It was staying extremely cold at the 1.5 setting, around 32 degrees. Just recently it hasn't been working so well. On setting 8 and barely staying around 42 degrees. I defrosted the freezer, it got a little better, but still not great. Does anyone know what the problem may be? I really love it and would hate to get rid of it. Tried to post photos, didn't work.

If it's one of the older ones like the OP has shown, it could be a bad thermostat but I suspect it needs a refrigerant recharge.

I think it just needed to be leveled out. If it happens again, I will look into the recharge.

I have an old working Philco given to me as well. I am trying to find some specs and especially a year and worth. Model # is H731, serial# is 3AD132831, style is RA. Can anyone help me? I have pics but can't put on here.

That fridge is a classic! I just can't get over the turqouise door rails with the writing on them - love it!! The modern day fridges have rails that only last a few years, those Philco people could teach them a thing or two about longevity!
What a great find...
Suzan J

We have been using it for over 2 years now and it is still working like a champ. It is truly an old reliable.

I HAVE A OLD FRIDGE SAME AS ABOVE, I NEED A BUTTER DOOR, TWO MORE SHELVES, AND AN ICE TRAY. CAN ANY ONE HELP.

I AM RESTORING A 56 PHILCO REFRIG THAT WAS MY GRANDMOTHERS. I NEED TO FIND A SHELF AND THE BOTTOM DRAWER,DOES ANYONE KNOW WERE TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, ARE THERE ANY APPLIANCE JUNKYARD OR SOMETHING?,THANK YOU

Just lugged home a Philco model # G-1125 fridge, style RA,
any details on age, gasket source, or other would be very helpful. Lost my house, no insurance, by fire 04 mar,nearly me also, burns face and both hands... 3 weeks hospital. Thanks. Saved from junkers this am by less than 1/2 hour! Sure is a heavy one. Rounded top, 1 door, blueish color parts inside.

I've got an old Philco 944, but no handle. We use a hammer handle to open it. Any ideas on where I can locate a replacement handle? Model #J-944

I have a Philco G925 that was in my grandparents basement and I know they used for many many years. It has been unplugged for the past 5 years, so I do not know if it works now or not. The inside looks brand new and they had repainted the outside in the past but the metal is still in very good shape. I am looking to sell it and looking for a bit of info on what it might be worth and if anyone would be interested in it. Please let me know.

We have a Philco J742 and put a tiny hole in the evaporator. can anybody tell me if you can find one and where. Thanks